To

Honourable Lyonpo
Ministry of Education and Skills Development

Your Excellency,

We, a group of concerned parents, are writing to respectfully share our views on the recent announcement to increase the admission age for PP to six years by February 2026.

While we deeply appreciate the Ministry’s intent to strengthen early childhood education and ensure school readiness, we are concerned that the new policy, if implemented with a strict cut-off, may unintentionally disadvantage many children currently enrolled in kindergartens. Under the revised rule, a large number of children will be ineligible for admission to Pre-Primary (PP) in 2026 as well as in 2027. This creates a “gap year,” leaving children caught between the early learning system, which currently ends at age 5, and the new entry age for PP, with no structured pathway in between. Many of our children will also be 7 years old when they start PP. 

We humbly request the Ministry to kindly consider the following measures:

1. Flexibility in Cut-off Dates: Allow children who turn six during the academic year (for instance, by December 2026/2027) to be admitted to PP, so that those who are only a few weeks or months younger are not left behind.
2. Transitional Provisions: Introduce a phased approach over the next few years, so that children already enrolled in kindergartens under the previous system are not disadvantaged. When Singapore adjusted its primary education policy, transitional measures were put in place to ensure no child was left behind.
3. Parental Choice: Provide parents the option, based on readiness assessments and in consultation with teachers, to enroll children who are slightly younger than the strict age requirement.

We believe these measures will ease the transition to the new age policy, safeguard the interests of children currently in the system, and allow families to adapt without disruption. Such flexibility will uphold the principle of equity, ensuring that every child has a place during this period of change.

We remain deeply supportive of the Ministry’s vision to enhance education quality and stand ready to collaborate in developing solutions that work for all stakeholders.

With our highest respect,

Bhutanese Parents.